dws

I'm finally done building my house,moved in,back online and slowly getting back to normal. I was too busy to get any bowhunting in at all this year,hell I just dug my bow out of storage last week. I'm wondering what most of you prefer to hang your stands with, chains or straps. All of my stands are antiques and when I bought them all stands had chains. I figure I should replace a few because they are definately showing some age. How long have the straps been lasting when they are left out permanently?

YooperMike

I prefer to use straps for mine because I think that you can get a strap tighter around a tree as it lays flat against the tree and will slide easier as it is being tightened. We usually put at least one more, if not two more, than the recommended amount of straps as well. I can't comment on the longevity since we take them in every year, but during the season, usually we hang them in early Sept and then take them down around Jan. 1, we have never had any problem with strap duraility.

saltflat

I have heard of squirells eating through the straps. I to like straps but to be safe I would put a chain on there just incase the straps decided to break.

MDBUCKHUNTER

Straps are great. I have used them for 12 years on all of my stands. They are quiet and durable and can be tightened onto a tree better than any chain could. I typically use two straps on each stand and replace them every two or three years. Yes, the occasional squirrel tries to end my hunting season early, but you should always check your straps before attempting to hunt from your stand.

The only time I refuse to usejust astrap is when I am hunting on public property and I am going to leave my stand out in the woods overnight.

I have tried the chain system that is covered in either soft, flexible plastic or fabric and have found both to be dissapointing. On cold/icy days when the sun just never seems to come up, and there is a thin layer of ice on the trees, I haveexperienced my stand "self-adjusting" when I step on it for the first time. I attribute this to to the lack of tightness on the tree.

Hope This Helps!

Matt/TN

i like straps but chains make it less likely to get stolen but tend to be harder to get off the tree

dabowhunter

I take my stands with chains and add a turnbuckle to them. With that you can crank that chain as tight as you want and believe it they will not move or squeak...dabow

dws

Thanks for the replies guys. I bought a stand last night from Walmart with straps. I"ll try it out today and if I trust it I"ll go get some more. It was on clearance for $30 and has a nice big platform 24x30. I really like the idea of using a turnbuckle on a chain, I can't believe I never thought of that.

Pat Curtis

2 ratchet straps on every hang-on stand we own.